Tag Archives: car show

Hundreds of classic vehicles set to roll into on Sunday for the Smiths Falls Cruisers Car Show

These are some of the cruisers on display at last year’s inaugural car show hosted by the Smiths Falls Cruisers Car Club at Lower Reach park. Photo credit: Submitted [Stuart Watt/Facebook photo].
LAURE WEIR

Chrome will gleam and engines will roll this Sunday as the Smiths Falls Cruisers Car Club hosts its second annual car show at Lower Reach Park.

The July 6 event is expected to draw between 275 and 300 vintage and antique vehicles. Cars, trucks and motorcycles from across the region will be on display from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. along the grassy, tree-lined setting beside the tennis courts.

Admission is free for spectators. The cost for show vehicles is $10.

“This is an excellent antique and vintage car show,” said organizer Jim Barnett. “The setting is beautiful, with lots of space and shade. We’ll have two food vendors, a DJ spinning music throughout the day, and other vendors selling things like arts and crafts. There will also be door prizes and a 50/50 draw. Anyone attending will not be disappointed.”

The show is non-judged, and all vehicles are welcome. The club expects a strong turnout again this year after drawing 250 registered vehicles in 2024.

The Smiths Falls Cruisers Car Club is hosting the second annual show on Sunday at Lower Reach park. All are welcome, and you will probably see Jim ‘Big Barn’ Bennett with his pony car. Photo credit: Submitted [Jim Bennett photo].

“This is the best little car show in the area,” Barnett said. “It’s in the nicest park in Smiths Falls, with grass under your feet, trees for shade and (the Rideau Canal) in the background. We’ve got great prizes lined up this year. Bigger and better.”

Registration runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Draws take place throughout the day, with the 50/50 winner announced at 2 p.m. Additional $50 money draws are planned.

A plaque will be handed out to the first 50 vehicles to register.

Gates open at 7 a.m. sharp. No early entry will be permitted.

The event runs rain or shine.

For more information, contact Jim Barnett at 613-283-0754 or jimbigbarn@gmail.com.

Rideau Rods and Rides gears up for another spectacular car show in 2025

Photo credit: Bravo Whiskey photography.
SUBMITTED

The car community is strong across Canada, especially in Ontario, providing an outlet for enthusiasts to build, modify, and showcase their vehicles. Car cruises and shows bring together like-minded individuals while inviting the public to share in the excitement.

For more than 30 years, the Rolling Thunder Car Club hosted an annual car show at Lower Reach Park in Smiths Falls. In the spring of 2018, Hugh Henderson gathered a group of car enthusiasts to gauge interest in taking over the event after the Rolling Thunder Car Club could no longer manage it due to a lack of administrators. The show was a success, leading to the formation of the Rise at the Falls Car Club.

The 2019 Rise at the Falls Car Show, again held at Lower Reach Park, was bigger and better than the previous year. Planning for the 2020 event was well underway when the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation. Due to ongoing uncertainties, all car shows, including this one, remained on hold until 2022.

When the event finally returned in 2022, it was an overwhelming success, with car owners and spectators eager to reconnect after two years without large gatherings. However, in 2023, concerns over potential damage to the grass at Lower Reach Park created uncertainty about its availability. 

Fortunately, Toledo Branch 475 of the Royal Canadian Legion, along with Greg and Nancy Williams, generously offered the field behind the legion as a new venue. This partnership proved to be a perfect fit, with the legion providing a barbecue, beer garden, cooling station, coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and a warm welcome to all.

To better reflect its growing membership, the club was renamed Rideau Rods and Rides in 2023. The past two years, 2023 and 2024, have been a successful collaboration, and the club looks forward to many more.

Planning is already underway for the 2025 show, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 3, with a rain date of Monday, Aug. 4. Mark your calendars and drop in for another outstanding event!

Submitted by the Rideau Rods and Riders Car Club / Photos by Bravo Whiskey photography.